MOSCOW, March 15. /TASS/. The Ukrainian armed forces sustained more than 1,500 casualties in recent attempts to penetrate Russia’s borders, including 500 troops killed, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.

On March 12-14, Ukraine "sustained over 1,500 casualties, including around 500 troops killed, as 18 tanks and 23 armored combat vehicles were destroyed, as well," the ministry said.

Russia’s Battlegroup West together with the border guards of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) have thwarted all attempts by the Ukrainian armed forces to penetrate into the territory of the borderline Belgorod and Kursk regions over the past three days from March 12 to 14, the Defense Ministry said in a report.

"All in all, over the past three days, from March 12 to 14, Russia’s Battlegroup West together with the Russian Federal Security Service’s border authorities have thwarted all attempts by Ukrainian fighters to enter the territory of the Belgorod and Kursk regions of the Russian Federation. All attacks by Ukrainian army units were repelled," the report said.

Russian mining mission

The Russian Armed Forces have remotely mined the area near the village of Kozinki, Belgorod Region, adjacent to the border with Ukraine in order to prevent any approach by Ukrainian armed forces reserves, according to the defense agency.

On March 14, the Russian Armed Forces together with FSB border guard troops foiled an attempted breakthrough by Ukrainian units into Russian territory. The saboteurs were detected while trying to advance deep into Kozinki.

"To exclude the approach of reserves, remote mining of the terrain was carried out," the ministry said.

Evacuation of Ukrainian saboteurs disrupted

A Russian crew manning a Tornado multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) eliminated a team of Ukrainian troops on a mission to evacuate wounded and killed members of a sabotage unit, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a report.

"An enemy group dispatched to evacuate Ukrainian casualties was destroyed with the Tornado MLRS. In all, Ukrainian forces sustained over 50 casualties," the ministry said.

On March 12, teams of Ukrainian saboteurs made attempts to penetrate a borderline zone near the village of Tyotkino, Kursk Region. Russian units thwarted another Ukrainian attempt to infiltrate Russia near Spodaryushino, Belgorod Region, on Thursday.